


We're not so different, You and I

by MeowtantAuthor



Category: Just Shapes & Beats (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, And lowkey shit parents, Author Clearly Has Issues, Blixer has issues, Blixer is a bad boy, Canon Disabled Character, Canon Non-Binary Character, Cube has autism, Cube is a nerd, Eventual fantasy, F/M, Highschool to uni AU, Multi, Mutual Pining, Some OCs in the background to help serve the story, TW Ableism, and also a dork lmao, author is Australian and it manifests in the setting, but hes not his dad I promise, canon australians, horrible childhoods abound, juvenile delinquency, of the subtle and insidious kind, the one that really irritates you because its always brushed off, this came out angstier than I expected, tw child abuse, tw dark backstories, tw sexual assault mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:48:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28494135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeowtantAuthor/pseuds/MeowtantAuthor
Summary: Cube and Blixer always seemed like opposites, but it's only in their final year of highschool that they realise perhaps they're not so different after all.In which the cast of Just Shapes and Beats is reimagined as a cast of Youths; struggling with life's bullshit, the pressure of growing up, and old scars that never seemed to quite heal. When things take a turn for the worse, will our heroes rise to the challenge? Or is the world doomed to corruption?Author is very obviously Australian.Inspired by WukongStrifes art!
Relationships: Barracuda/Lycanthropy (just shapes and beats), The Big Cube | Sad Square/The Boss | Blixer (Just Shapes & Beats), The Boat & The Helicopter | Heli (Just Shapes & Beats)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 17





	1. The Counsellors Office

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter one is live! Thanks to my Beta Readers, ily <3
> 
> Trigger warnings: Mentions of bullying, anxiety, juvenile delinquency.

On one of the few days where Blixer could actually be assed showing up to school, he was rudely pulled aside from class and told to immediately go to the counsellors office. Which struck him as being kind of strange and hypocritical, really. I mean, sure, he missed classes, was behind and guaranteed to fail, but if he was punished with a counsellors visit WHEN he showed up, it was a bit like being punished for doing the right thing.  


Still, he dragged his feet sullenly to the counsellors office, sat down in the waiting area, and began staring into space. School fucking sucked, counsellors probably were going to make a flap and not provide anything resembling genuine help, and Blixer wondered why he was even there in the first place.  


Two things happened: He noticed the laces on his left boot were untied, and when he bent down to tie them up again, a small strange voice piped up from somewhere to his right.  


“So what are you in for?”  


Blixer started a bit, before realising the voice came from the polygon sitting on the other side of the dingy blue couch that occupied the waiting area of the counsellors office. A short, chubby shape sat beside him, and he realised that it was Cube, the weird and in his opinion, kind of dumpy Polygon from his year level. He only knew her as that weird weeaboo chick who hung out with the theatre kids, and threw tantrums in class when people wouldn’t be quiet. She seemed to have mellowed out in later years, but some things in highschool just seemed to stick.  


“Crikey, you startled me!”  


Cube grinned sheepishly and twisted her fingers into an elaborate pretzel.  


“Sorry, turning invisible randomly seems to be my superpower.”  


There she was again with the weird chick bullshit again. Who in their right mind at age 18 still pretended they had superpowers?!  


Blixer then mentally admonished himself for being so judgemental. I mean, sure, she was weird, but he hadn’t ever recalled her being nasty to someone. Hell, she had even made Cuda a box of gluten-free cupcakes for her birthday a few years back. They weren’t even friends.  


A long silence filled the air. Cube was silent, and it was obvious she didn’t know how to make the conversation progress. Blixer decided that idle chatting was probably better than staring into space and letting the dark side of his brain dominate his thoughts.  


“You go first. I mean, why you’re here and everything. I didn’t expect you to be the type to need to see guidance counsellors”  


Cube’s face didn’t register any emotion. She simply leaned back into the couch, stared up at the ceiling and said in a flat voice; “I’m being bullied again”  


Oof, that must hurt. He guessed it was only the logical conclusion. Cube wasn’t popular for the right reasons, after all.  


“Damn, that sucks” He said. He wasn’t very good at offering comforting words, but Cube seemed not to notice.  


“Yeah,” she said, taking a deep breath before sighing. “It really does.”  


Cube turned her head to look at Blixer. “Happens when you’re an outsider. No matter how hard I try to be normal, I just can’t seem to get it right.”  


“Hey, save that for the counsellor” Blixer said, flashing his trademark asshole grin. He wasn’t really in the mood to focus on anyone’s problems, but he noticed Cube stiffen, before demurely folding her hands in her lap. There was another awkward silence, and then Cube seemed to find her words.  


“What about you?”  


Blixer flashed her an incredulous look. Cube just looked confused.  


“Isn’t it obvious? I’m a fucking delinquent. School can suck my fat nuts and I’m here against my will!”  


Cube just shrugged.  


“I’m not really in the loop. I know you and Cuda and Lycan hang out a lot, but I don’t know of all your exploits.”  


“I would have thought that my reputation was well known around these parts”  


Cube shrugged again.  


“Remember when those two teachers were having affairs with each other? By the time I found that out, it was old news.”  


Blixer thought for a bit. Cube wasn’t exactly socially adept, so it didn’t surprise him that she wasn’t part of the gossip mill. She probably didn’t listen after some of the rumours spread about her in particular.  


“But…” Cube twisted her fingers again and frowned. She was clearly having trouble finding the right words to articulate what she meant.  


“But what?”  


“Well, being a delinquent and missing school is only part of it. I know that much. Most kids hate school but still rock up anyway. And not you, you skip for some reason, and that means something else is going on.”  


Cube looked at him, obviously proud of herself for a somewhat obvious deduction. “And that something else is why you got pulled out of class, despite missing a lot already, to be sent here. So what’s really going on, Blixer?”  


Damn, she was close to the mark. Way too close for Blixers liking. He ran his fingers through the floating triangles that floated around his headshape and avoided looking at Cube as he thought of a way to engage with her without revealing the full truth.  


“Honestly? It’s a long story, and I’m kind of fucked up. But if you really want to know, the real reason I'm here in this shithole is probably the fact that I haven’t started the Personal Learning Project. Cuz, you know, it’s a load of bullshit”  


Cube tilted her head at him and raised an eyebrow.  


“Is that it? It’s term two, why haven’t you started?”  


“Cuz it’s a waste of time, Cube. I’m not going into university after highschool. I’m not going into trade school or religious training, there’s no point to my even being here. Sure, it adds to your final Good Boy Highschool Score, but if you’re not going to do anything after school ends is there even much of a point?”  


Cube looked at him again, and this time she looked almost offended.  


“You’re just going to give up? Just like that?”  


“Yeah, actually.”  


Cube looked frustrated with his response, like he’d crossed some major moral boundary and spat on one of her ancestors graves.  


“Don’t you have any passions or interests? Surely there’s some project you could do, and it wouldn’t even have to be hard!”  


Blixer snorted at her response.  


“Yeah sure, because a passion is totally going to save my grades and help me magically become a good boy nerd student.”  


Cube frowned at him yet again, before hunching over and rubbing her face with the palms of her hands. She sat still for a moment before finally turned to Blixer, looking him dead in the eyes.  


“You don’t have to be a nerd, or even have outstanding grades. You just need to complete a little project on something you like to see if you can turn it into a career. I’ve already started mine- I’m animating a short film.”  


“Good for you” Blixer said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.  


“No Blixer, listen to me! You like playing guitar, yeah? I’ve heard you shred it in music class, you can do something with that! Write a song, or produce your own album! You can do so much with just that one little thing!”  


While Blixer did not appreciate the bossy way in which she was telling him off, he had to admit, she did have a point. Math and Chemistry were so not his thing, but rephrasing the Personal Learning Project as something simple and easy that he could enjoy doing made him sound childish, lazy even.  


He wasn’t about to give up his position so easily, however.  


“Alright Cube, since you seem to know everything, tell me what I should do for my project.”  


“Don’t insult me Blixer, I’m not the one skipping school. I am trying to help you and the least you can do is listen to me.” She stared at him, cold and unwavering. “If I can get a research project done while I have a learning disability, you can find some little thing in your life that you like enough to make a poster on.”  


“Wait, you have a learning disability?” That took Blixer by surprise. Cube always prided herself on being studious, and while not a Straight-A’s student, she came damn close.  


“Yeah, I have Asperger’s.”  


Oh.  


_Oh._  


That made sense. The weird behaviour, the not fitting in, the everything. Blixer recalled a phase in year 9 where Cuda and Lycan would talk to her about the anime she was watching but smile as though they were laughing at her. And poor Cube, she hadn’t realised they were mocking her to her face as she rambled on about the latest cartoon she liked. It was only after Heli pointed it out to Cube that she realised and started to cry. And poor Cube, she had just been wanting to share her interests with them. She probably saw their group as a gang of bullies now, which Blixer felt really bad about.  


He didn’t want to be a bully, or associated with that. I mean, sure he could be an asshole, but he didn’t want to actually hurt anyone. That was a step too far.  


“And before we continue, please don’t start speaking to me like I’m a child. I hate that voice and I hate it when it’s used against me. Don’t start.”  


“Alright, I won’t, geez!” Blixer said. He was still mildly annoyed at Cube’s blunt admonishment, and on top of being sent abruptly to guidance counselling, was now processing the fact that two of his best friends had been bullying a disabled girl. The day was just fucking peachy now.  


“Good, because it’s why I don’t tell people. Once I start talking about it I get talked to like a child, and people don’t even stop bullying me.”  
Blixer turned to her. Cube looked so frustrated and ready to cry, and ouch, he needed to say something before someone showed up and took the situation the entirely wrong way.  


“Uh, Cube, um… I’m really sorry. For letting Lycan and Cuda tease you like that all those years ago. And uh, while I’m 100% an irredeemable asshole, I promise I will never tease you about things related to your Asperger’s, ok?”  


Cube looked at him with moist, surprised eyes. She rubbed her hands against her face again, half wiping away tears and half just pressing her eyes into her head.  


“And uh, while I’m here, I’m going to talk to Cuda and Lycan, and see if I can get them to stop picking on you.”  


Cube went wide eyed at that and was nothing but shocked.  


“Oh no! They’re not bullying me anymore! They haven’t in years! We made a truce!”  


Well that was new.  


“Ok, if not them, then who?” said Blixer in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. He held out his hand, palm up, inviting Cube to take it. Cube sniffled and slid her hand into his, and Blixer was amazed at how tiny and delicate her hands were compared to his.  


“It’s the new kid, Agrobacter. He won’t stop touching me and sometimes he pushes me around. He says awful things to Heli and Ship too, and when I defend them he just laughs at me.” Cube curled her arm so that she was holding Blixer’s hand close to her ample chest, and he could have sworn that he could feel her heart beating as she began to sob. “It’s not hard to be a good person! It’s not difficult to be decent! I just don’t understand him!”  


Blixer nodded, rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand. He dwelled briefly on his own life experiences, trying to find some sage advice or explanation for Agrobacter’s behaviour.  


“Sometimes people know the difference between right and wrong and still choose to do bad things anyway. Maybe they don’t care, or maybe they’re too fucked up in their own way to realise that good is good.”  


Cube sniffled again, and Blixer was worried she’d start really crying.  


“I still don’t understand, but you’re right.” Cube said, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She inhaled deeply, trying to quell her emotions, and not quite succeeding. “Sorry you had to see me crying”  


“Why are you apologising for that? If anything, I should be apologizing for being an insensitive dickhead to you.”  


Cube nodded, but didn’t say anything. Blixer flexed his arm, pulling Cube close to him, and she shuffled her hips so she could move closer. Blixer let go of her hand, instead opting to wrap around his long, gangly arm around her shoulders and hold onto her arm. He rubbed her arm and Cube responded by curling into him, resting her head against the side of his chest.  


“Hey, there’ll be a free counsellor soon. You should tell them everything we just spoke about, and maybe they can help you, yeah?”  


Cube nodded, and curled her fingers into his fake leather jacket. She didn’t say anything, but made a sort of “hmm” noise that sounded affirmative, and Blixer took that as a good sign.  


“And hey, as a show of good faith… How about I chat with the counsellors about the research project, and once I’ve gotten some ideas, you can help me choose?”  


Cube pressed her body into his somewhat more suddenly, before nodding her head. She wriggled slightly in her seat, while still holding onto Blixer’s jacket, and Blixer wasn’t sure how to respond. Mentally, he was admonishing himself for making a promise he figured he probably wouldn't keep to Cube just to cheer her up, but manipulation was lowkey his game and if it meant lying through his teeth to get someone to stop crying then so it would have to be.  


Thankfully, the door to one of the offices opened, and a student was ushered out by a tall polygon with thick spirals coating her headshape. She glanced in the direction of Blixer and Cube.  


“Cube, dearie, it’s time for your appointment.” The counsellors soft, slightly accented voice rang out. Cube reluctantly began the process of peeling out of the hug, and eventually stood up before Blixer. She turned over her shoulder to look at Blixer.  


“Hey, thanks for keeping me company, I’ll stay in touch with you about your project, ok?”  


“Yeah, go get to your appointment. I’ll try not to be such a raging disappointment at mine.” He said, winking. Cube nodded, followed the counsellor into the office, and shut the door, leaving Blixer alone with his thoughts.  


Not long after, another door opened, and Blixer was invited to his first ever counselling session. Little did he know that the conversation he had minutes before was the beginning of a series of life-changing events.


	2. Homework

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Cube and Blixer begin a study session
> 
> TW drug use, suspicious behaviour, trust issues, trauma in the background of ones thoughts and snippy conversations

It had been a few days since the counsellor’s appointment, and Blixer had spent most of his weekend at Lycan’s house smoking weed and staring at the orthotics in his shoes in a doped-up haze. He hadn’t really given the project much thought, but had decided to smoke after the counselling session left him recalling memories he’d rather forget. 

He was staring off into space during a lunch break when Cube nervously approached him again. She was wearing a cutesy high waisted, pleated skirt and blouse with a lunch stain on her right breast.

“Um, hi Blixer. You thought about what you wanna do for your research project yet?”

The sounds of teenagers playing handball, having loud conversations about sex and makeup and the contents of today’s lunch floated around them. A magpie trilled in the distance, a twelvie squawked in victory as he won a game and the distant thunk of a boot colliding with a football could be heard on a sunny, cloudless day.

“Uhh, not really. I got side tracked with counselling. Haven’t given it much thought, really.”

Cube seemed disappointed, but didn’t say anything.

“Definitely wanna do something music related though, maybe.”

Cube seemed satisfied at this answer and nodded sagely.

“I know a lot about music. I’ve got books and stuff about it, you can borrow them if you like.”

Blixer raised an eyebrow at that.

“Why books? Surely I can read all that stuff online?”

“It looks better on a research project if you can include some books in the reference list. You can’t just cite Wikipedia, they catch onto that and label it plagiarism.” Cube shrugged. 

“There’s also the library, but I thought some of my books would give you a head start.”  


He had to admit, it was kind of unusual that she was so adamant on helping him, but there was something oddly charming about it too. He recalled a personal goal the counsellor had given him last week, about asking for and accepting help from someone. What the hell, might as well give it a go. He doubted Cube was going to take advantage of him if he accepted her books.

“You know what? Yeah, I’ll borrow some books. Why the hell not, worst thing that’ll happen is they aren’t useful to me.” Blix said, more to himself than Cube. Cube clapped her hands, delighted that Blixer was accepting.

“Great! I’m glad I can help! Anything in particular that you’ll be interested in?”

Blixer thought for a moment, but came up with nothing.

“No, I haven’t made up my mind on the specifics yet. Thinking maybe the history of rock, but that might not be detailed enough for what they want.”

“Ugh yeah, they have a delightful habit of taking a perfectly good idea and stomping on it. It’s not like some of us also have to study for maths too!” Cube pouted, annoyed just thinking about it. It was a lot like students were expected to both do well academically and come back with three years’ worth of work experience. 

“Actually, that gives me an idea. Are you free tomorrow afternoon?”

“What?”

“I’m not free this afternoon, I have dance class, but my Wednesdays are free. You could come to my house and pick out the books you think would be best, and we could have a study session!”

While the thought of going to Cube’s house made Blixer’s stomach lurch in an uncomfortable way, the thoughts of which he very quickly suppressed, there was an appeal to her offer. Math as a subject objectively sucked, and the dry literature they were forced to read in English would make even the most rabid bookworm refuse to pick up a novel. 

“Yeah, I’m free. What time?”

Wednesday came, and Blixer found himself waiting by the school gates. He idly scanned the cars that were crowding around the entrance to the school, looking for one that would pick Cube and presumably him also up. He tried not to let his gaze linger too long on some of the parent’s faces, or on scenes of innocence where excited teenagers leapt into the car to get smoothies or go to swimming lessons. He felt a slight pang of envy whenever he saw a pair of siblings clamber into a car and drive off, having caught the bus alone to his house for most of his adolescent years. 

He started when Cube mysteriously appeared next to him. 

“Hi Blixer, ready to head home?”

“For fucks sake Cube, don’t sneak up on me like that!” Blixer snapped. He put a hand to his chest and winced, willing his heartbeat to slow down. He didn’t notice Cube flinch at his harsh words in turn.

“S-sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Her voice was barely audible over the hustle and bustle of the end of the day, and yet the quiet distress present within it was deafening. To say it caught Blixer off-guard would have been an understatement.

“Agh, no, fuck, I’m sorry. I just hate crowds.” It wasn’t much of an apology, but the tension in his body dissipated almost immediately. Cube remained wary, gripping the straps of her school bag tightly, but didn’t say anything.

“Which car’s yours?” Blixer asked, trying to change the subject from the mutual faux pas.

“No car, my house is within walking distance, remember?” Cube gestured with one thumb pointing westward. 

“You’re right, you’re right” muttered Blix, shaking his head. “Sorry, rough night’s sleep. Lead the way.”

Cube silently began walking, and mercifully, away from the crowd. Blixer felt like an idiot, but followed her anyway. He was nervous about walking to her house, even though rationally there was nothing to worry about. He repressed the little voice in his head that was always screaming danger and took several deep breaths. 

“Did you have a nightmare last night?” Cube said, bringing Blixer out of his daydreams. He realised they were about to cross a road, and was silently thankful for Cube bringing him out of his head before he got himself run over.

“Yeah, kinda. The kind that’s hard to wake up from and even harder to go back to sleep after.”

The two polygons crossed the street and began walking under the shade of several massive jacaranda trees. Cube trod delicately, avoiding stepping on the cracks in the pavement. Blixer noted a quiet elegance in her movement as she turned on the ball of her foot to face him.

“I won’t pry, but if you want to talk about it, I get nightmares too. Sometimes I wake up at 3am and can’t get back to sleep until it’s nearly time to wake up!”

“Nah, it’s kinda personal.” Blixer said nonchalantly. “But thanks for the offer.”

Cube hummed and continued on her merry way, with Blixer easily keeping pace on his long legs. He was about to retreat into his daydreams when Cube piped up;

“I love this kind of sunny weather. Absolutely perfect, not too hot and only a few clouds in the sky. What kind of weather is your favourite?”

Blixer thought for a moment, before sliding his hands into his pockets.

“Never really thought about it. I guess I like cold weather, I like wearing jackets.”

That interested Cube.

“Oh, cold weather’s lovely too! I especially like it when it’s bucketing down with rain! Have you ever heard heavy rain on a corrugated iron roof?”  


Blixer nodded. “Yeah, makes one hell of a racket. But I thought you hated loud noises?”  


“Only some.” Said Cube, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she walked. ”Rain is a good noise, and I like some music really loud too. But it feels like cymbals clanging behind my head when people keep talking and I’m trying to do something tricky.”  


Blixer contemplated sharing a vulnerable experience with Cube, but decided against it. Instead he opted to ask a question of his own.  


“What kind of music do you like?”  


Cube grinned like a kid opening Christmas presents.  


“Oh, a bit of everything, but I love electronic music! Especially video game music, but sometimes I listen to classical or disco. My tastes are a bit all over the place but electronic music makes me feel like I have butterflies in my blood!”  


“Electronic, huh?” Blixer said, crossing over a section of cement paving in one long legged stride. “I like it too. Though I’m not sure about Disco.”  


Cube rolled her eyes and laughed.  


“Disco is the foundation of most electronic music! We wouldn’t have 80’s techno sex gay bar music without it, and modern electronic music wouldn’t exist much either!”

Blixer snorted at her description.  


“Techno sex gay bar music?” Blixer chuckled. “That’s one hell of a way to describe it!”  


“It’s true! You listen to half the pop music from the 80’s and you’ll see what I mean!” Cube said, giggling.  


As they walked, the two found themselves engrossed in conversation about music, about what they liked and how they felt when they listened to it. While guarded, Blixer revealed that music was something that helped distract him from emotional pain, and Cube in turn revealed that electronic music opened up for her a secret inner world of daydreams and adventure.  


“No way, you have elaborate daydreams too?”  


“Yeah! I have since I was a kid! I’ve never been short on creativity as a result!”  


“Heh, creativity wasn’t exactly encouraged in my household.” Blixer said, nervously. Part of him regretted being so vulnerable in that instant, but then Cube’s expression turned sad and she nodded.  


“Yeah, not exactly encouraged in mine either. It’s a shame, because I love making things, but my parents always say it’s not going to earn money or be a profitable career.”  


Blixer was about to say something, but the words died on his tongue when Cube interjected with “We’re here!”  


Cube’s house was nice, a two-story red brick house with a corrugated iron roof. The garden was immaculate, focusing on pansies and roses, neither of which were blooming, and the grass was perfectly green. Cube opened the cast-iron gate and held it open for Blixer, before taking off her schoolbag and rummaging through it for her keys. She produced them with a flourish before pushing past Blixer, ignoring the concept of personal space and unlocking the front door.  


“Welcome to chateau Cube! You want anything to drink?”  


Blixer was too busy staring at the inside of the house too respond. It was very stark, painted in varying shades of white and pale green, and a white staircase with the odd scuffmark on the steps stretched up into the second story. The hallway went on to the left of the stairs into what seemed to be the kitchen, where Cube was heading. Blixer followed her into the kitchen, walking past the stove, bench and cupboards to reach the kitchen table.  


Cube placed her schoolbag on the kitchen table, her schoolbooks sliding slightly out from the open top as she bounced to a set of drawers and pulled out two glasses.  


“Iced water?” she asked, gesturing with the cups. Blixer nodded, and Cube dutifully pulled some ice cubes from the tray in the freezer. She placed the cubes in the glasses and then filled them with water. She handed one glass to Blixer and took a sip from the other, making a slight sucking noise.  


Blixer took the glass and sipped too, making his way to the kitchen table and placing his bag on the floor. He cautiously sat at the table, and the chair creaked under his weight.  


“Your house is nice.” He said awkwardly, unsure of what to say.  


“It’s alright. My parents did all the decorating.” Said Cube. She tapped her fingernails against the glass before sitting down on the chair closest to her bag. She began reaching into her bag to pull something out, when she turned to Blixer suddenly.  


“Are you okay? You seem kind of nervous.”  


Blixer realised he had been holding tension in his body and forced himself to relax. He took a long drink from his glass and placed it back on the kitchen table.  


“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I just… Never been good with new places.”  


“Ah,” said Cube. She continued puling her books and a lunchbox out of her bag. “Do you need a moment?”  


Blixer inhaled slowly and sighed.  


“No, no, just…” Again, Blixer struggled to say what he meant. He sipped his water again, putting the glass between him and Cube. “I’m kinda tired. Not in a good headspace.”  


“Oh, would you like some coffee?” Cube asked. She got up from her seat and made her way over to the kitchen bench. “We have instant or pod, what would you like?”  


“You sure?” Blixer seemed surprised. “I don’t want to be a burden-“  


“Nonsense!” Cube said, grabbing a coffee mug out of a cupboard above her headshape. “I’m about to have some coffee myself! Might as well make an extra cup!”  


She placed the mug by the coffee machine and opened a hatch on the top of the machine, placing a pod inside and closing the lid. She pressed a button and the machine whirred to life, extracting drip espresso from the pod and filling the kitchen with the lovely aroma of fresh coffee. While that occurred, Cube sauntered over to the fridge and took a large plastic bottle of milk out, filling another aspect of the machine and pressing another button.  


“Do you have yours with sugar?”  


“Y-yeah! Two spoons” Blixer said. Then added “Please.”  


Cube placed the sugar in the mug, and as the last drops poured from the machine into it, she grabbed another pod and fed it into the machine. She then switched cups, pressing another button on the machine and filling her cup with espresso. Blixer noted that she didn’t take sugar with her coffee.  


“Sorry, the milk always takes ages to froth. I usually just put cold milk in mine.”  


“That’s fine” said Blixer, shuffling in his seat. He supposed he should make a start on his homework, given that this was nominally a study session. He pulled the rim of his bag to his knee and began rummaging within, searching for his math book. The few notes he had taken were scattered about the pages in messy handwriting, and he knew this study session was going to be academically difficult.  


He looked up in time to see Cube place a mug of deliciously frothy coffee in front of him.  


“Are you hungry? I have some lemon and poppy seed cake in the fridge if you want.”  


“Uh, I don’t think I’ve ever had that before.”  


Cube said nothing but once again bounced to the fridge, pulling a lunch-box sized container out and placing it on a bench. As she rummaged for a knife, cutting board and plate, she rambled on quite happily;  


“Oh, coffee and cake is one of life’s small pleasures! There’s a reason so many cafés offer it as a special, it just goes together you know? Still, some places charge way too much for it, I saw a place near here that offered a cake and small coffee special for eleven fifty! And you only got a small coffee! It should be half that price, maybe a smidge more, no one has that kind of money to spend!”  


She carried two plates with a thick slice of cake on each to the table, setting them down and sitting herself down back at her place on the table. Blixer eyed the cake warily, unsure what to make of the creamy yellow dough, flecked with small black spheres. He looked over to find Cube quite happily chewing on a slice as she opened one of her books and flicked to the latest blank page.  


“So where are you up to? I didn’t get much done in class last time.”  


“I haven’t done math all term, Cube.” Blixer said. Cube’s expression changed from ‘happy because she was eating cake’ to ‘mildly annoyed’.  


“What have you done today then?”  


“Uhh…” Blixer racked his brain for details of the stuff he’d studied today. Damn the years of dope smoking, clouding his memory! “That one formula, the one used in chances.”  


“There’s a bunch, which one today?”  


Blixer opened his book to the page containing the formula and passed it to Cube. She squinted at his handwriting as he took a sip of coffee.  


“Uhh, is that a nine or a G?” Cube asked, tapping an area on the page. Blixer turned the page toward himself, and set it back down in front of him.  


“It’s a nine. I was using the examples given to me on the board today.”  


“Ahh, I don’t think I’m in the same class as you.” Cube said. “I think I learned this yesterday. Hang on, I’ll get my notes.” Cube was already up and drinking the last of her water before Blixer could blink.  


“While I’m up, would you like a house tour?”  


The question caught Blixer off guard, and he blinked in surprise before giving his answer.  


“Uhh, sure.” Blixer got up from his seat, setting his coffee down, and dutifully following Cube. They began walking out of the kitchen, into the room adjacent.  


“Well, obviously this is the kitchen, and it’s a dining room rolled into one too. And this is the loungeroom.”  
It, like most of the house, was starkly painted, and sparsely, albeit comfortably furnished. A large television was on the left side of the room, and all the furniture faced that particular direction. Decorating the walls were framed photos of Cube, her mother and her father, with the odd family portrait here and there. Blixer inspected one taken of a younger cube, when she was probably only eight or so. She was posing awkwardly by a tree, presumably under the instruction of some professional family photographer. The portrait to her left was of a much more comfortable Cube sitting on a high stool between her parents, with their hands on her shoulders.  


It felt weird, seeing family photos. It was something Blixer still wasn’t used to.  


“The laundry is that way, and there’s a bathroom adjacent. You have to walk through the laundry to get to it, sorry.”  


Cube was already exiting the room and heading in the direction of a room filled with books. Blixer pursued on long legs, easily catching up with her.  


“This is the library! My parents built this room ages ago, it used to be a storage room but then we threw a whole lot out and made room for books instead!”  


“Any books on music I can borrow?”  


Cube shook her headshape.  


“No, these books belong to my parents. They wouldn’t want people borrowing them. The ones in my room are free-for-all though!”  


Cube turned left, and Blixer once again found himself in the hallway by the entrance of the house. In front of him was a doorway that lead into a room with a few sofas, and he got the impression that the room had once been used often, but had fallen out of favour and was now entered once every few days at most.  


“That’s the sun room. I used to play here as a kid, but I don’t really have time to play anymore.”  


“No shit, we’re kind of old to play these days.”  


“Maybe if you’re a boring ass adult, but some of us never stopped exhibiting play behaviour!”  


Cube was partway up the stairs when she stopped and gestured for Blixer to walk ahead of her.  


“Uhh, Blixer? Do you mind if I walk behind you? I don’t want you looking up my skirt.”  


Blixer was mildly offended by that remark and scowled in response.  


“Dude, I’m not some kind of fucking pervert!” he grumbled.  


“Oh no, it’s not that! I promise!” Cube said, panicking. “It’s just my mum always tells me to let men lead when going up stairs. She says it’s polite and stops them from looking. I don’t think you would, but it’s manners.”  


“I wouldn’t have thought that if you had phrased it differently.”  


Cube just looked down at her shoes, wishing she was someone else at that moment.  


“Sorry” she said, quietly. Something was off about her apology, something Blixer couldn’t pinpoint. It was definitely sincere, but Cube seemed scared of how he’d react. She held her hands behind her back just a bit too tightly, and shrunk against the bannister of the stairs as if she was expecting something a bit worse than her study buddy being somewhat offended at her social faux pas.  


He supposed that given his more violent tendencies earlier in their mutual years of schooling, it was probably uncertainty about whether he’d have a go at her.  


He still wasn’t sure how to proceed, so he said nothing and began walking past Cube to go upstairs. Cube followed behind him, eyes still firmly glued to the floor.  


They reached the second floor without incident. Cube was still silent, much too quiet for Blixer’s liking and when he turned around she looked like she was on the verge of tears.  


“I’m not going to hit you or anything.”  


“It’s not that, I’m just sick of fucking up so much.” Cube muttered. “I didn’t mean to insinuate you were a pervert or anything, I just… Sometimes words come out and they don’t quite hit the mark and I usually end up offending someone as a result. I’m sorry.” Her voice broke on her last word. “I’ll try to be better next time.”  


“Agh, Cube, don’t cry!” Blixer wasn’t sure how to calm her down, a bit caught in the moment himself. “It’s just a misunderstanding! I wasn’t actually cross with you!” That seemed like the wrong response as a tear leaked out of Cube’s face and began trickling down her cheek.  


“Cube, really! It’s fine! Everyone makes mistakes, and they’re common when you make new friends!”  


Cube didn’t say anything but rubbed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Blixer felt a pang of concern, knowing she hated others seeing her cry, but Cube just rubbed her face with her palms and shook her headshape.  


“Sorry anyway.”  


Blixer decided to extend an olive branch and stretched out his arms.  


“Hey, hug it out?”  


Before he could blink, Cube had latched onto him and was burying her face into his chest. It was like she was trying to hide in his shirt, and Blixer simply folded his arms around her, awkwardly patting her back and muttering something along the lines of “There, there”.  


It was a few minutes before Cube had calmed down enough to peel herself away from the hug, rub her eyes and take several deep breaths.  


“You still wanna continue the house tour?”  


“If you’re up for it.” Blixer flashed her a grin that he hoped came across as cheerful rather than assholeish, but Cube seemed to respond positively.  


“Yeah, I still have to get my math notes.” Cube said. She was still in the stages of composing herself, but had been moved away from the edge of crying.  


“Most of upstairs is out-of-bounds, that includes my parent’s room and their studies. But you can see my room if you like.”  


“Good plan.”  


Cube lead the way to a doorway not far from the stairs. The door immediately stood out from the rest of the house- It was painted bright blue, and covered in vinyl stickers of flowers and some curious animated characters. Cube pushed the door open with a creak to reveal her bedroom.  


And what a sight! It was cluttered and slightly claustrophobic, and full of bright colours. In the far corner of the room stood a wardrobe and a chest of drawers, full to bursting with clothes. Cube’s unmade bed was tucked in the other far corner, and the wall behind it was painted blue and decorated with posters of anime girls and fashion magazines. By her bed sat her desk, with a large bookshelf behind it. It was clearly in use, as notebooks, loose bits of paper and stationary were scattered everywhere. The bookshelf itself was overflowing, and the odd trinket was scattered among the novels, comics and manga.  


To his left, tucked against a wall was yet another desk, with an odd contraption upon it and a lamp. It was surrounded with colourful bolts of fabric and Blixer realised it was a sewing machine with a work-in-progress still inside. It appeared to be another signature high-waisted skirt, in pale lavender. A basket of laundry that had not yet been put away sat near the sewing machine, with the odd sock dangling over the rim.  


“And this is my sanctuary! It’s a bit of a mess, but it’s home.” Cube announced proudly. She went to her desk and began rummaging through the detritus in search of her math book.  


“While we’re here- have a look at my bookshelf! See if you find something you like.”  


Blixer approached her shelf and began scanning the titles. There were mostly fantasy stories, with titles such as “Sunlight soldier crescent moon” “Jolene’s absurd escapades” and 

“Paranormal Investigator Pup”, but a few books on music theory soon emerged from sea of titles.  


“Found my math notes! Found a book you like?”  


Blixer found himself pulling a copy of ‘music theory for beginners’ from the shelves, as well as a book on vocal training, and yet another on ‘music from around the world’. Three seemed like a good start- he was only planning on skimming the pages anyway. The rest he figured he could plagiarise from Wikipedia.  


“Yeah, these will do.” Blixer murmured, tucking the books to his chest. Cube’s mood seemed to have improved considerably as she gathered her math book and her notes on another subject entirely.  


“I didn’t realise you sewed.” Blixer said, eyeing the machine in the corner of the room.  


“Yeah! I’m an awkward body shape, plus I hate most clothes available in the shops, so I make my own.” Cube was clearly proud of her achievements and she picked up the hem of her shirt, showing the stitches to Blixer, as well as a good chunk of thigh. “All the clothes for fat ladies are horrible, and all the clothes in styles I do like are meant for skinny girls with no tits. In the off chance that they do come in my size, they cost an arm and a leg. So I sew a lot.”  


Cube then poked herself in the boob and grinned impishly.  


“Gotta customise your shirts when you have boobs this big!”  


“Geez, and you call me the pervert!” Blixer said, jokingly. Cube gave him a funny look.  


“I’m joking, Cube. It’s common for people to poke fun.”  


“You say that like I can tell the difference between banter and bullying.” Said Cube with an odd expression.  


“Well, I was joking. I know we don’t always get along but I’m trying to be less of an asshole.”  


Cube pondered his words for a moment, then shrugged.  


“If you say so, I guess”  


“You know…” Blixer murmured. “Most girls don’t talk about their bodies so frankly.”  


“I’m not most girls.” Said Cube, making her way to the door. “Everyone has bits under their clothes, and truth be told I don’t understand why people are so stuck up about it.”  


“I’m sure people have their reasons for being prudish.” Blixer said. The undertones of what he said sailed over Cube’s head as she gestured for him to follow her back downstairs.  


“True, but there’s no reason to be so weird about it.” Blixer followed her to the stairs and descended with her, holding onto the left bannister while she held on to the right.  


The two polygons made their way back to the kitchen table, where Blixer’s coffee was growing cold and the ice in their water had melted. Cube sat herself back down at her seat and took a sip of her coffee, flicking through her math notes. She found the page she was looking for and passed it to Blixer, before returning to the subject she had been studying before.  


Cube’s handwriting wasn’t neat, but it was legible, and Blixer was thankful for the notes he could take. She had highlighted certain parts of the equation that changed from one step to the next. It wasn’t long before the formula clicked into his brain and he began to understand how to use it. He copied her notes into his book, writing comments about what to remember.  


“I’m going to get another slice, do you want one too?” Cube piped up. Blixer realised he hadn’t touched the first one, and shook his head. He decided to try the cake, as Cube fetched herself some more. It was an interesting cake- the poppy seeds exploded between his teeth, and the sharp lemon icing contrasted well with the mellow flavour of the cake. It was nice, and 

Blixer chewed it thoughtfully as he contemplated the next set of problems.  


The kitchen fell silent as the two polygons began that afternoon’s studying, with the only noises being of contented chewing and Blixer asking Cube for help. She was a surprisingly patient tutor, and pointed out the patterns in the mathematics, occasionally underlining important parts with a green pen.  


“Colour coding can help you learn, I do it all the time.” Cube said. “Do you have some highlighters at home?”  


“Yeah, should do.” Blixer said. He was proud of himself, quietly, for learning something. He didn’t think it was possible, but with a patient tutor and colour coding he was beginning to pick it up. He wasn’t ignored when he asked for help, nor was he shamed for making a mistake. It was a refreshing change from his math class.  


“I don’t blame you for loathing maths, I had Mr Olive for my teacher last year. I don’t know how he’s still employed, given how little fucks he gives.”  


“Heh, at least I have you to teach me.”  


Cube grinned and Blixer could have sworn he saw her blushing, but the afternoon light had grown dim and he couldn’t be sure. It was then that he realised it was getting dark outside, and Cube seemed to have the same thought.  


“Wow, it gets darker earlier huh?” Cube said, standing up and stretching before moving to turn the kitchen light on. “Winter’s coming soon, just the kind of weather you like.”  


“Yeah, and with it the lovely sound of rain.” Blixer said. He placed his head on his hand and gazed out the window, daydreaming about stormy weather and cold nights. He used to hate winter as a kid, but as he grew older he found himself coming to appreciate the invigoration of a cold snap, and how frost on the ground made him feel alive.  


“Winter is a good season.” Cube murmured, burying herself back in her notes, which Blixer had deduced earlier was Chemistry. He found himself on the edge of daydreaming when Cube piped up with a startling revelation.  


“We’re not so different, you and I.”  


Blixer was about to ask what she meant when the front door opened, and in walked Cube’s parents.


	3. Raised voices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things very quickly go to hell
> 
> Massive trigger warnings for emotional abuse, ableism, PTSD getting triggered and just... General fuckery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update: I was bed bound with a horrific viral illness, thankfully not the 'rona. 
> 
> Fun fact: Some of the things said in this chapter are word for word what my parents have screamed at me :(

“Cube, sweetheart, who is this?” Cube’s mother was the first to speak, and there was a subtle but distinct tone of unfriendliness in her voice. Blixer felt himself stiffen and his heart rate increase, body hardwired to detect trouble.

“Hi mum!” Cube said chirpily, unaware of the danger. “This is Blixer! I’m helping him with math!” 

“P-pleased to meet you.” Blixer said shakily, raising a hand to wave. He tried to calm himself down, but failed, instead finding himself almost cowering in his seat. 

“Cube, now that we’re home, don’t you think Blixer wants to go home now?” her mother spoke again, and ouch, there was that voice Cube so hated, where she was spoken to like a child. 

“Ahh, ok. Sorry Blixer, looks like we have to end it here today.” Cube turned to face him as she spoke and he saw her expression was blank despite the artificial chirpiness in her voice. Bad news all around. 

“No worries, I’ll catch the bus home.” He said. He gathered his schoolwork and notes back into his bag, and carefully placed the books Cube had lent him inside so they wouldn’t get crumpled. “See you at school tomorrow?” 

“I don’t think we have any classes together, but if you have any questions you can ask me at lunch!” Blixer didn’t look at Cube’s parents, simply looking at her eyes nervously flicking towards them told he all he needed to know. 

Yep, definitely time to leave. 

Blixer stood up and closed his bag before putting it on and beginning the daunting walk past Cube’s parents. As he passed them, he did his best to make eye contact and say “see you later” in a friendly tone, but was too busy trying not to panic to register how he came across. As soon as the front door closed behind him, he sprinted to the street, leaping over the gate before ducking behind the fence, out of sight. He began his deep breathing exercises, trying to stop his heartbeat from racing and reminding himself of where he was. He was outside, alone, and in no immediate danger, if trembling a lot. He supposed that later he would feel a bit stupid for overreacting to a nasty tone of voice, but right now he had to focus on getting home and calming down. 

Blixer pulled out his phone, still sat against the fence, and looked up the bus timetable. He surmised that the fastest bus route would be from the one near the school, which was within walking distance and he remembered the route well enough. His heart sank when he saw that the next bus wouldn’t come for another 50 minutes. 

He decided to ring his foster mother and ask her to pick him up. He pressed the phone icon on her contact page, and when the phone began dialling, he pressed the phone to the side of his headshape. 

“Good timing Blixer, I just got off work. Everything alright?” 

“Yeah, Lime. Good to hear.” Blixer said, glad to hear a voice that wasn’t subtly laced with malice. “Can you pick me up?” 

“Where are you?” 

“I’m at Cube’s house, 1/7 Rhythm street. Not far from school.” 

“Okay, I’ll be there in 20, maybe more. Looks like traffic is going to be shit.” 

“No worries.” 

“See you soon.” And with that, their conversation ended. Blixer wondered if he should wait inside for Lime to pick him up, and against his better judgement, found himself walking back to the front door of Cube’s house. He stopped when he heard voices coming from inside, and they weren’t happy. Blixer dropped into a crouch before slowly and cautiously opening the door a fraction. He could hear what was being said all too well. 

“When you said you were having a friend over I thought you meant Heli! Or Ship! Not some random fucking delinquent!” 

“Cube, we’ve had the corruption talk, don’t you realise what that means?!” 

Blixer winced. Of course, Cube being an only child, he expected her parents to be fiercely protective of her. He didn’t expect them to be so judgemental of him though, despite the truth of what being born corrupted meant. 

“Cube, corrupted shapes are more prone to violence and mental illness and substance abuse. Do you realise how dangerous your friend-” Obviously sarcastic “-could be? What if he decided to hurt you?! Or steal something?!” 

Blixer ground his teeth and thought about how good it would be to scream. He briefly imagined himself storming in to the house and standing up for himself, but knew that such actions best belonged in the realm of fantasy. It hurt overhearing things like this, even though he had somewhat proudly carved a social niche for himself as an outcast. He wasn’t some petty burglar who would take advantage of a girl’s kindness and steal things from her house, nor was he the kind of monster he was sadly related to. 

He realised then, with a lingering sense of horror, that Cube’s reaction to his being offended was more than just the result of misconceptions fed to her by two concerned parents. They were yelling at her for showing kindness to him, and if that innocuous behaviour was enough to set them off, what else would they scream at her for? 

“Cube, you are way too naïve for your own good. I swear sometimes you’re eighteen going on EIGHT!” Why wasn’t she responding? Blixer wondered what Cube was doing in that moment with two angry parents having a go at her. Was she crying? Was she twisting her fingers into knots like she did when she was uncomfortable? Was she struggling to breathe through gritted teeth like he was? Without her making a noise, it was hard to tell. 

“You are way too trusting, you know that? If you keep this up and refuse to see the real world, you’re going to end up hurt. Or we’re going to be burgled. Do you just not realise how stupid you were just now?” 

Blixer’s stomach lurched. Oh no, please don’t let his suspicions be true, please don’t let what he think was happening be happening. 

“Well Cube, aren’t you going to say something? Anything?” Cube’s father sneered in a nasty tone of voice. For the first time since he started eavesdropping, Cube spoke up. 

“I don’t know what to say!” 

“Maybe a Sorry would be nice? Maybe a promise not to act so reckless? Maybe a promise to think before you invite every stranger into our house to do as they please? No?” 

Cube’s voice broke as she began apologizing. Despite this, it didn’t seem to soothe her parent’s rage. 

“Sorry won’t be good enough forever, Cube! One day your fecklessness is going to destroy all we’ve provided for you!” 

“I’m sorry!” Cube wailed, and Blixer could hear her crying through her apology. He expected to hear the smack of a hand against flesh, but no such sound came. 

“I mean, fuck’s sake Cube, I know you always want to live in your own little world on sunshine and rainbows and cute cartoon characters but at your age you should be facing reality! You can’t trust everyone you fucking meet and befriend them like in that fucking show you like. Are you always going to be so immature, Cube?!” 

Blixer decided he had heard enough, and closed the door, turning the knob so it would latch into place silently. He tried to quell his racing heartbeat and ignore the shivers of dread as he made his way back to the street. He couldn’t stay around this area, not with Cube’s parents becoming beacons of malice, so he made his way back to the school. 

The words and insults that Cube’s parents had thrown at her were still ringing in his head, echoing around and shrieking like banshees. He opted to distract himself by pulling out his phone and texting Lime. 

“Change of plans, walking back to school now. Can u pick me up from there?” 

He placed his phone back in his pocket and increased his pace. He found himself avoiding stepping on the cracks, just like Cube, and her words echoed in his head. 

“We’re not so different, you and I.” 

Blixer’s head was spinning and before he knew it, he was back at the road they had crossed earlier. He was barely able to cross the road without getting run over and his phone buzzed as his feet hit the pavement on the other side. 

“Be there in five.” Read the text message. Good, that gave him a window of time to try and calm down in. The sun had set by now and the last of the light was fading from the sky as Blixer waited to be picked up. Fear melted away into rage and despair, Blixer found himself shaking. He leaned against a tall fence, tilted his headshape up to the sky and screamed. 

Meanwhile, Cube lay face down on her bed sobbing. Despite her face being firmly pressed into her favourite sensory pillow, it did nothing to calm her down. Although she didn’t know about it, it had been not long after Blixer had stopped eavesdropping that the conversation, if one could even call it that, had shifted from calling Cube naïve and immature to calling Cube spiteful and deceitful. Cube resented that accusation- she wasn’t trying to trick her parents or torment them. She had simply invited a friend over to study. 

Thankfully, her parents hadn’t noticed Blixer carrying away her books. She was fairly certain that they’d accuse him of stealing them, perhaps from their own library, and then Blixer would have been yelled at too. 

She hated the fact that he had to leave so suddenly, and she hated the fact that she was alone when she got yelled at. She wondered if her parents would have been so quick to scream at her if Blixer had stayed as a witness. They were the parents of the year when there were guests around, but after they left they were quick to criticise her for her behaviour, the way she dressed, the conversations she tried to engage in. 

“Why do I always fuck up?” She thought, adjusting the pillow to accommodate her weight more comfortably. “Why did I have to be born defective?” 

She continued to cry, and her tears soaked into her pillow. The afternoon had been going so well, too. She was learning, and helping Blixer had in turn made her feel good about herself. It made her feel like she wasn’t entirely useless, or bad. Like maybe the few good parts of herself finally had their moment to shine. 

None of that mattered now. Once again, the confusing world of socialising had struck her down for her shortcomings and her chest heaved as a new wave of tears broke through. Her parents had finally dismissed her to her room and Cube took advantage of the repose to cry before her parents criticised her for that too. 

Damn, Cube hated getting yelled at. 

She reached onto her bedside table and grabbed her phone, unlocking it and flicking a text to her best friend, Heli. 

“Got yelled at again. No good deed goes unpunished.” 

She then placed the phone under her pillow and resumed pressing her face into the soft minky fabric. Her mattress vibrated when her phone did, and she found that Heli had already replied. 

“Srsly? WTF” 

Cubes vision blurred as another wave of tears broke through. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, smearing tears on her phone case before responding to Heli. 

“IDFK man.” 

No sooner had she sent that message when Heli sent her another text. 

“Want me 2 ring u?” 

Cube panicked just a little. When she was in trouble, she wasn’t really allowed to talk to her friends until they had decided it was allowed. Her just having her phone was risky. 

“Pls no. They’ll hear.” 

A pause, and then; 

“Ok” 

Cube laid her head back on her pillow and whined. She wanted to scream, throw things and unleash a wave of fury in response to her getting yelled at, but knew that it would only make things worse. She settled for balling her fist and striking her mattress, resulting in an echoing thud. 

“I fucking hate you.” she whispered into her pillow. “I hate you so fucking much.” 

She struck her mattress again, torment evolving into rage. It felt hot, like she had swallowed a flame, and the rage was eating away at her organs. 

“Stupid fucking fuck, hate you fuck you you should die” She growled. Her fist which had previously struck the mattress was now tightly gripping the corner of her pillow, white knuckled with the force of her anger. 

It wasn’t fair. She had no idea her parents would react so negatively to the study session, and yelling at her was a step too far. Cube had tried in previous years to bargain with her parents asking nicely for them not to yell, but she soon learned that enforcing boundaries was only asking for them to be violated over and over again. 

She wasn’t a bad kid. She wasn’t smoking dope like Blixer and his gang, nor was she shoplifting like that histrionic shape in her year level. She studied, went to school every day, tried to hand her assignments in on time and was actually making an effort. She didn’t even drink alcohol, despite it being perfectly legal to do so at her age. It wasn’t fair and Cube hated it. 

She dreaded going downstairs later in the evening to have dinner. There was always the risk of a second wave of fury being unleashed at the dinner table. In addition to whatever being served tasting like cardboard due to her emotional state, she was also too fucked up to continue studying tonight. 

A torrent of violent swears tumbled out of her mouth and were absorbed into her pillow, never to reach another shape. 

Lime pulled over to find a very distressed Blixer waiting for her. He climbed into the passenger’s seat of their car and pulled his seatbelt on without saying a word. The blank, thousand-mile stare and the lingering tremors of a panic attack were indication enough of something very wrong happening. 

“Geez Blixer, what happened?’ Lime said. She indicated to drive back onto the main road and checked her rear-view mirror to make sure no oncoming traffic was going to rear-end her. Blixer didn’t respond, but threw his headshape back against the headrest and sobbed. Lime turned the car onto the main road and began driving to their house. She waited a few minutes before questioning him again. 

“You wanna talk about it kiddo?” 

Blixer finally found it within himself to respond to Lime. She passed him a tissue from the glove box as they waited at a traffic light and Blixer wiped the tears from his face. 

“Cube’s parents yelled at her after I left and said awful things to her.” 

Ah, that was it. Blixer hated it when adults began yelling. It was a manifestation of old scars, and Lime had learnt early on in her fostering journey not to raise her voice at Blixer when he needed to be scolded. Not that she scolded him that often anyway- if anything, Lime was too lax with her parenting, something which she wasn’t sure how to change but was nonetheless ashamed of. 

“With you in the room?” 

“No, I heard them from outside the house.” 

“Good Golly” Lime muttered. She was appalled to hear this, and shook her headshape in sympathy. ”What disgusting behaviour!” 

There was a long silence in the car before Lime spoke again. 

“Did you two get much study done?” 

Blixer’s face crumpled in frustration. 

“We did! Until Cube’s parents came home! And then it all went to shit!” 

“Tell me everything.” Lime said, keeping her eyes on the road. 

“You know, I was actually learning shit! Cube’s smart and she actually sat down and explained he math homework to me! She colour coded it and everything and didn’t insinuate I was a complete fucking moron when I got it wrong! She gave me a slice of cake for fucks sake, she was NICE, and then her parents came home and-“ Blixer growled in frustration. 

“I could hear what they said about me, Lime! I didn’t ask to be born corrupted! I didn’t ask for my existence to be multiple cruel jokes after one another!” 

Lime nodded, and took her left hand off the wheel to offer it to Blixer. Corruption was something you could be born with, or have it be triggered by life circumstances. Those who were born with it tended to become social outcasts, making their symptoms worse. It was defined by a polygon becoming an alarming shade of magenta, and with it came behavioural problems and dangerous magic. There were no longer laws banning corrupted polygons from entering schools, universities or restaurants, but the societal stigma reached deep. Lime had witnessed it multiple times as an emergency nurse in the medical system; whenever there was a corrupted shape in the emergency room, it didn’t matter what they had, other shapes would shy away from them or change seats. Corruption wasn’t exactly contagious, but in some instances was hereditary, as was the case for Blixer. 

Lime had also worked in the same hospital where an infamous malpractise case took place, after a corrupted shape died from an intestinal blockage that had caused her stomach to rupture. She had been accused of attention or opiate seeking, and none of the staff had taken her seriously until it was too late to save her life. That had sparked massive outrage, leading to the firing of one hospital doctor, the suspension of several nurses and new policies being drafted to ensure that this wouldn’t happen again. 

Corruption also meant that children in the foster system were unlikely to find homes. Corrupted polygons were barred somewhat from becoming foster parents, despite the need for parents in stable households. Corruption didn’t make a polygon evil, and therapy was very effective at helping them regain control over their emotions. Sadly, some rejected help and became dangers to society, and those stereotypes continued through every generation. 

“I wish I wasn’t corrupted, Lime. I don’t want to be seen as a monster.” 

Lime was secretly glad that Blixer had said this. In previous years of his life, he had proudly announced he was a monster and delinquent and violent and that no amount of therapy could chain the beast within. Thankfully, the courts system had mandated therapy, and Blixer was fortunate enough to be placed with one of the best psychiatrists around. Over the course of a year (or maybe two? Lime wasn’t sure) he had succumbed to a change of heart, and while still a delinquent outcast and a dope smoker (Something that Lime still hadn’t succeeded in changing his habits of), he wasn’t proud of his monstrous tendencies. It helped that he had a roof over his head and mostly regular meals, and Lime tried her best to provide parental guidance where she could. Sadly, she was working longer shifts and more often and she regretted not being more present in Blixer’s life. 

“I know, sweetheart. It’s not fair, is it?” 

“It’s not.” Blixer said forlornly. “Cube got yelled at because of me. Do you have any idea how that feels?” 

“I can imagine.” Lime said. “I’m sorry that happened to you two.” 

It wasn’t long before they arrived at Lime’s house. She pulled into the garage and turned the engine off. 

“Hey Blixer.” She said, as they began climbing out of the car. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m too tired to cook, what say we get takeaway from your favourite place tonight?” 

Blixer’s sad eyes widened with surprise, then sparkled with a quiet delight. 

“Yeah, that sounds good.” 

Lime smiled as she unlocked the front door. Despite her shortcomings as a single foster mother, she could still cheer up a lost little polygon. The way to Blixer’s heart was usually along the route of food and music, and Lime found that a strategic offering of something as small as turning on the radio or offering to get milkshakes on the weekend could go a surprisingly long way to improving his mood. She passed the phone to Blixer as well as a takeaway menu, and the magenta polygon got to work, ordering probably more than enough food for both of them. She knew that whatever was going on with Cube wasn’t over, and neither were Blixer’s problems, but for just a little while they could find refuge in life’s small comforts.


End file.
